And Help Kids Make Healthy Choices!

For many families, EVERY meal feels less like a Norman Rockwell painting and more like a battle of epic proportions. Mealtime is one of the biggest stressors for parents, especially those with little ones. Why? Because kids are winning! Think about it – eating is one of the few things kids can legitimately control. Hard as we try – we can’t MAKE them eat. We can, however, help children make healthier, empowered choices – creating a WIN for parents AND kids.

Ready to “turn the tables” and put the mealtime melodrama to rest? Try these five strategies:

1. First and foremost: STOP. Stop coaxing, cajoling, rewarding, threatening, bribing and lecturing. All of those well-intended tactics actually add fuel to the mealtime fire and send the message to your kids that you are highly INVESTED in what and how much they eat! Instead, make mealtime THEIR problem, not yours. YOUR ATTITUDE of indifference is absolutely essential to diffuse the power struggle around mealtime. Read on for your new plan, one without battle lines or frustration, just clear direction.

2. Let your kids know that they are growing up and their bodies need the right kind of nourishment. Explain that the choice of whether or not to eat is theirs – BUT, there won’t be a special meal made, snacks to be had, or you on hand as a short order cook when they do decide they are hungry.

3. Set your family up for success: get kids involved in menu selection, teach them how to prepare simple parts of the meal, and don’t allow grazing on snacks or juice throughout the day. (Your new plan works best if they are actually hungry at mealtime!)

4. Prepare a healthy meal, with at least one thing you know your kids will eat, then leave the decision up to them. If they eat, great, if not, they’ll be fine until the next meal. Will you be faced with a whine of “I’m starving” at bedtime if they don’t? Probably. Will you feel a pang of guilt or two? More than likely. But take comfort: you provided a reasonable meal option, you empowered them to make an important choice (without the power struggle), and you taught them the value of cause and effect. That’s a trifecta in the parenting department!

5. Lastly, stick to it. Don’t rescue with a snack – even a healthy one. And don’t launch into any “I told you so’s.” (That makes YOU the bad guy. Remember – we’re trying to make eating your child’s problem, not yours.) Just calmly and lovingly offer a glass of water and assure them they’ll be fine until breakfast – or the next meal.

It may take a time or two (or three) for this strategy to work. Stay the course. Know that you are doing the right thing. Your child will not only NOT starve in the interim, but will learn to make good choices over time. That’s something to feel good about!

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What Real Parents Are Saying

"Thank you Amy!! I'm truly amazed at how well and how quickly this has worked!! I'm actually enjoying my daughter for the first time in a very long time!!! Your support and encouragement means so much! Best money I have ever spent!! You are incredible at what you do!"

- ZA WALKER

2016-08-09T14:34:44-04:00

- ZA WALKER

"Thank you Amy!! I'm truly amazed at how well and how quickly this has worked!! I'm actually enjoying my daughter for the first time in a very long time!!! Your support and encouragement means so much! Best money I have ever spent!! You are incredible at what you do!"

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/za-walker

"As a single mom, I can tell you this course was worth every penny. If you are struggling with any of the tools, you can get on a call with Amy and she'll talk you through what you may be missing or help you find better tools to try in your situation. Go all the way and get the Gold membership! The course works well because of all the support you get from Amy and from the community of the parents on the Gold-Members-Only Facebook page."

- LOLA EDQUIST

2016-08-09T14:34:08-04:00

- LOLA EDQUIST

"As a single mom, I can tell you this course was worth every penny. If you are struggling with any of the tools, you can get on a call with Amy and she'll talk you through what you may be missing or help you find better tools to try in your situation. Go all the way and get the Gold membership! The course works well because of all the support you get from Amy and from the community of the parents on the Gold-Members-Only Facebook page."

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/lola-edquist

"I'm all in and totally love it. I've done the full course and keep coming back for more. Totally worth the investment!"

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2016-08-09T14:33:37-04:00

- KRISTEN BURGHART

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"I'm a month in and have decided this is absolutely a great investment for myself & my family. I've spent hundreds on books over the years and got nowhere near the results as I have in 2 weeks with this program. l truly am THRILLED with how this program is helping me become the best mother I can be!"

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2016-08-09T14:33:03-04:00

- LAURIE BELL

"I'm a month in and have decided this is absolutely a great investment for myself & my family. I've spent hundreds on books over the years and got nowhere near the results as I have in 2 weeks with this program. l truly am THRILLED with how this program is helping me become the best mother I can be!"

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/laurie-bell

"I was hesitant at first to sign up because I have a special needs child, but the course has also given me the tools to be more patient and understanding to my daughter's needs."

- MELISSA WISE

2016-08-09T14:32:27-04:00

- MELISSA WISE

"I was hesitant at first to sign up because I have a special needs child, but the course has also given me the tools to be more patient and understanding to my daughter's needs."

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/melissa-wise

"We appreciate that each video is short and gives us something to work on. Very practical and accessible, despite limited time."

- TIM CLARK

2016-08-09T14:31:50-04:00

- TIM CLARK

"We appreciate that each video is short and gives us something to work on. Very practical and accessible, despite limited time."

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/tim-clark

"I have been doing the program for about a month and I can't believe the results! My 2 year old had a very hard time staying next to me every time we went outside. We could never take a walk because he would run to the cars or run away. Also meal time at restaurants was very difficult. He was also hitting at school and his little brother. I can now say and my son is doing amazing. Everything miraculously has stopped. So I decided to go ahead and potty train him. I watched the Potty Training 101 module and I have to say it's amazing. I potty trained my two year old in 5 days. Thank you so much, Amy. I am a very happy mom!"

- CATALINA ESTRADA

2016-08-09T14:31:09-04:00

- CATALINA ESTRADA

"I have been doing the program for about a month and I can't believe the results! My 2 year old had a very hard time staying next to me every time we went outside. We could never take a walk because he would run to the cars or run away. Also meal time at restaurants was very difficult. He was also hitting at school and his little brother. I can now say and my son is doing amazing. Everything miraculously has stopped. So I decided to go ahead and potty train him. I watched the Potty Training 101 module and I have to say it's amazing. I potty trained my two year old in 5 days. Thank you so much, Amy. I am a very happy mom!"

"AMAZING! DO IT WHEN YOU NEED IT!! DO IT WHEN YOU DON’T NEED IT! LOVE IT!! YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!"

- JULIE EVANS

2016-08-09T14:30:35-04:00

- JULIE EVANS

"AMAZING! DO IT WHEN YOU NEED IT!! DO IT WHEN YOU DON’T NEED IT! LOVE IT!! YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!"

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/julie-evans

"This is the best parenting tool out there!! I've read so many books, and this is so much better. It's a lot of information, but you can take your time and apply it as you can. I believe it's worth every penny!"

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2016-08-09T14:30:02-04:00

- STACY PEDERSEN

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http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/stacy-pedersen

"My advice - every day doesn't have to be your best day, just your best effort. Don't try to be perfect, you will only ever see your flaws. Celebrate being the best mother you can be each day - it's a marathon, not a sprint. Good luck!"

- CANON DICARLO

2016-08-09T14:29:19-04:00

- CANON DICARLO

"My advice - every day doesn't have to be your best day, just your best effort. Don't try to be perfect, you will only ever see your flaws. Celebrate being the best mother you can be each day - it's a marathon, not a sprint. Good luck!"

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/canon-dicarlo

"I am just beside myself with how good my children’s behavior has been. I’m just standing around astonished at them. My son had me help him make a chart today with the list of our morning and bedtime routines and a different chore for each day of the week. And my daughter is transformed. She is trying to figure out who she is going to be because she is not the “screaming child” any more!"

- JAMIE SUE PORTINI

2014-11-26T12:27:04-05:00

- JAMIE SUE PORTINI

"I am just beside myself with how good my children’s behavior has been. I’m just standing around astonished at them. My son had me help him make a chart today with the list of our morning and bedtime routines and a different chore for each day of the week. And my daughter is transformed. She is trying to figure out who she is going to be because she is not the “screaming child” any more!"

"What a wonderful gift your course has been! Yesterday we had our 1st parent teacher conference with my son’s Kindergarten teacher and she wanted to know if we would hold a class to teach other parents how to raise polite, well mannered, respectful and intelligent children! I immediately mentioned your program. Regardless, I am the proudest parent in Rio Rancho, NM and want you to know what a wonderful impact you have had. Thank you!"

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2014-11-26T12:25:29-05:00

- TERRI STAGMAN

"What a wonderful gift your course has been! Yesterday we had our 1st parent teacher conference with my son’s Kindergarten teacher and she wanted to know if we would hold a class to teach other parents how to raise polite, well mannered, respectful and intelligent children! I immediately mentioned your program. Regardless, I am the proudest parent in Rio Rancho, NM and want you to know what a wonderful impact you have had. Thank you!"

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/terri-stagman

"I can’t tell you how fascinated I am by how it’s drastically affecting our family already – most of all, me!! I absolutely love feeling like I am having fun with my kids again – ALL of them, even the "more hi-maintenance" — because I’m not just feeling frustrated, guilty or at-wits-end most of the time! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom!"

- KRISTIN HARPER

2014-11-26T11:28:05-05:00

- KRISTIN HARPER

"I can’t tell you how fascinated I am by how it’s drastically affecting our family already – most of all, me!! I absolutely love feeling like I am having fun with my kids again – ALL of them, even the "more hi-maintenance" — because I’m not just feeling frustrated, guilty or at-wits-end most of the time! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom!"

http://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/testimonials/kristin-harper

"I can't believe what I'm seeing after trying the first steps in the free training! Believe me, I've read a lot about parenting but this is the first time I've seen such immediate results. I'm happy to know that I was on the right track but I have learned what wasn't working on my part, which is easier to change! I already feel more in control of my emotions. Thank you for your wonderful site."

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2014-11-26T03:50:31-05:00

- VICTORIA AVARETTE

"I can't believe what I'm seeing after trying the first steps in the free training! Believe me, I've read a lot about parenting but this is the first time I've seen such immediate results. I'm happy to know that I was on the right track but I have learned what wasn't working on my part, which is easier to change! I already feel more in control of my emotions. Thank you for your wonderful site."